Work In Progress

On Thursday, I headed to The Burdock for a live show. By coincidence, all 3 performers chose to showcase relatively new songs. Although since I didn't know 2 of them, every song was new. First up was Raf Wilcot from Montréal. I liked his dreamy, shimmering piano chords and his prose-like lyrics though he could do a better job matching syllables to notes. I thought his bottom range was better so I was surprised he sang mostly in the upper register. His cover of Norah Jones' Don't Know Why was understated.

It was Synne Sanden's first time in Canada. But given the current chill, it probably wasn't much different from her native Norway. Her piano playing was more straightforward while her singing, a cross between Tori Amos and Olivia Merilahti (The Dø), was quite beautiful. From soft whispers to full-throated roar, with spiraling lyrics, songs like Imitation and I Rot filled the room.

L Con, at least for this show, was now a one-woman act. Lisa Conway has opted for manipulating samples, tracks, and drum machines along with her singing. Luckily, numbers such as Distance To The Moon and Forms of Space still thrilled in their layered catchiness. The latter actually got several shouts of approval when it ended. Conway also showcased several new tracks including a collaboration with The Magic and her own take on In The Air Tonight. But she didn't need all that synth work. L Con ended her set in the middle of the audience, accompanied by a simple cassette tape recorder, with an entrancing acoustic version of The Art of Staying Tough.